Rotatable gastight valve

ABSTRACT

A rotatable valve for gas pipes is disclosed. The valve comprises a disc having an aperture therein, the diameter of the aperature being located entirely within a radius of the disc.

United States Patent Krogsrud Dec. 18, 1973 [54] ROTATABLE GASTIGHT VALVE 955,600 4/1910 Levey 251/301 X 1,404,028 l/l922 J 251/301 X [75] Harald Kmgsmd 636mm" Norway 1,951,121 3/1934 B31111 251 /304 x [73] Assignee: Elkem A/S, Oslo, Norway [22] Filed: A 1, 1972 Primary Examiner-Samuel Scott Assistant Examiner-Ira S. Lazarus PP NW 277,129 Attorney-William D. Lucas [52] U.S. Cl 251/301, 266/31, 251/304 [51] Int. Cl Fl6k 5/00, Fl6k 1/16, C2lb 7/08 ABSTRACT [58] held of Search 251/301, 2.98, 291, A rotatable valve for g p p is disclose d. The Valve comprlses a d1sc havmg an aperture therem, the dlameter of the aperature being located entirely within a [56] References Clted radius of the disc UNITED STATES PATENTS 384,849 6/1888 Hood 251/304- 6 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PAIENTEBBEc 18 ms FIG. 2

" ROTATABLE GASTIGHT VALVE The present invention relates to a new and useful rotable valve to be used inconnection with gas outlets,

especially those used in connection with electric smelting furnaces.

Today, the majority of metallurgical smelting and reduction processes are carried out in so-called covered smelting furnaces which are equipped with a furnace vault. In 'order to prevent environmental pollution, the furnace. unit will usually beequipped with a gas cleaning plant to clean flue gases and largerunits will frequently be equipped with'two gas cleaning plants which are connected to separate outlets from the furnace. If

a gas cleaning plant has to be shut down for one reason or another, it is necessary to completely shut off the outlet to that gas cleaning plant.

, Under present practice, a telescopic part of the exhaust pipe is raised whereupon the gas outlet from the furnace can be closed by means of cover. Sand or a similar material capable of withstanding the high temperatures o'f smelting furnaces is usually used as a gas .sealing material between the gas pipe and the cover.

Where the furnace unit has a single gas cleaning plant -which has to -be stopped, it is necessary toshut off the gases to that gas cleaning plant and open a gas pipe directly to the atmosphere. The .gas pipe directly to the atmosphere is normally in the closed position when tha gas cleaning plant is inoperation. When the gas cleaning plant can again be returned to operation, it is necessary to close the direct outlet to'the air and again open the outlet to the cleaning plant. Similarly where two or more gas cleaning plantsare used for one furnace, if one is shut down, it isnecessary to shut off the flow of 7 gas to this plant and, if the other plant is only being used as an alternative, it is necessary to open the gas pipe to this plant.

The waste gases fromsmelting furnaces are heavily loaded with dust and have a temperature of about 400 600. It will thus be readily appreciated that raising a telescopic part of the gas system'and applying a cover by hand is both laborious and difficult.

There has now beendiscovered a gas valve which can be automatically activated to open or close a smelting furnace gas pipe or which, alternatively, can be readily and easily operated by'hand. The valve comprises a circular disc which has an aperture therein with a diameter less than the radius of the circular disc but located entirely within the radius .i.e.,- on one side of the center of the disc. The aperture in the circular disc is'aligned in'the gaspipe to permit the flow of gas in the open position and is disposed outside of the gas pipe when the valve is in the closed position. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the aperture is enclosed in a container of sand or other'sealing material when it is in the closed position.

These and other features of the present invention may be more fully understood with respect to thedraw- "ings in which like numbers refer to like parts and in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, and

FIG. 2 is a top view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 through line 22.

'Referring to the Figures, there is seen a gas pipe 10 with gas flowing in the direction of the arrow 12 from a smelting furnace (not shown) located below pipe 10.

I Within the pipe is a valve disc 14 having therein a aperture 16 through which the gases from the smelting furnace can pass. The center of the rotatable disc is shown .at 18, and, as can be seen, the diameter 17 of the aperture '16 is less than the radius 21 of the rotatable disc 14 and located entirely within the radius. The rotatable disc is supported on shaft which is sealed from the disc and held in position by sealing members 22 and 24. On the top of the shaft 20 can be provided a gear box 26 with shaft 28 going to automatic control means (not shown) or shaft 20 can be connected to a handle for hand rotation or the like. In the present invention, it is preferred that shaft 20 be rotated by automatic control means.

The side of the rotatable disc 30 away from the gas pipe is preferably disposed in a container 32 which is filled with sand or other suitable sealing material 34 depending upon the application. The perimeter 36 of the rotatable disc is disposed in groove 38 for gastight sealing. On the bottom of the rotatable disc are preferably provided one or more scrapers 40.

In the position shown, the valve is open. When it is desired to close the valve, the disc 14 is rotated by shaft 20 so that the aperture16 is within the container32,

which is an 180 rotation from the open position. Be-

. cause of the sloped position of the top of the disc, as it is rotated, sand on the top of the disc will be distributed throughout the groove 38 and will thus form a sealing engagement between the end of the disc 36 and the groove 38. When it is desired to again open the valve, th n is rotated .80itq st9n1 s psrtq s i fill? rotat a ble disc to the gas pipe.

Because of the high temperatures of smelting furnaces, the sand'or other sealing materials will usually become sintered and because of the nature of the gases they will become dust-loaded. This can markedly decrease the efficiency of the seal. In order to overcome this, the rotatable disc is preferably provided with one or more scrapers 40 which will clean the valve each time it is rotated by moving the sealing material in the bottom of the container out into the gas pipe 12 from which it will fall into the furnace and be consumed. Fresh sealing material will thus be supplied to the valve disc each time it is rotated.

While the invention has been described with, and has particular application to, smelting furnaces, it will be understood that there are other applications to which the improvement which comprises agastight rotatable valve located on a vertical section of said gas pipe, said valve comprising in combination a circular disc with an aperture therein, the diameter of the aperture being substantially equal to the diameter of the gas pipe and the diameter of the aperture being located entirely within a radius of the disc, at least a portion of the disc being enclosed within a container, a sealing material within the container, and scrapers on the disc whereby rotation of the disc causes a portion of the sealing material tofall into the gas pipe and hence to the smelting furnace.

2. In an apparatus comprising an electric smelting furnace, a gas cleaning plant and a gas pipe connecting the electric smelting furnace to the gas cleaning plant, the improvement which comprises a gastight rotatable valve located on a vertical section of said gas pipe, said valve comprising in combination a circular disc with an aperture therein, the diameter of the aperture being substantially equal to the diameter of the gas pipe and the diameter of the aperture being located entirely within a radius of thedisc, at least a portion of the disc being enclosed within a container, a sealing material within the container, and the sealing material being sand.

3. A gastight rotatable valve for use on a gas pipe said valve comprising in combination a circular disc with an aperture therein, the diameter of the aperture being substantially equal to the diameter of the gas pipe and the diameter of the aperture being located entirely within a radius of the disc, at least a portion of the disc being enclosed within a container, a sealing material within the container, and scrapers on the disc whereby rotation of the disc causes a portion of the sealing material to fall into the gas pipe.

4.-A gastight rotatable valve for use on a gas pipe said valve comprising in combination a circular disc with an aperture therein, the diameter of the aperture being substantially equal to the diameter of the gas pipe and the diameter of the aperture being located entirely within a radius of the disc, at least a portion of the disc being enclosed within a container, a sealing material within the container, and the sealing material being sand.

5. In an apparatus comprising an electric smelting furnace, a gas cleaning plant and a gas pipe connecting the electric smelting furnace to the gas cleaning plant, the improvement which comprises a gastight rotatable valve located on a vertical section of said gas pipe, said valve comprising in combination a circular disc with an aperture therein, the diameter of the aperture being substantially equal to the diameter of the gas pipe and the diameter of the aperture being located entirely within a radius of the disc, at least a portion of the disc being enclosed within a container, a sealing material within the container, and the sealing material being granular.

6. A gastight rotatable valve for use on a gas pipe said valve comprising in combination a circular disc with an aperture therein, the diameter of the aperture being substantially equal to the diameter of the gas pipe and the diameter of the aperture being located entirely within a radius of the disc, at least a portion of the disc being enclosed within a container, a sealing material within the container, and the sealing material being granular. 

1. In an apparatus comprising an electric smelting furnace, a gas cleaning plant and a gas pipe connecting the electric smelting furnace to the gas cleaning plant, the improvement which comprises a gastight rotatable valve located on a vertical section of said gas pipe, said valve comprising in combination a circular disc with an aperture therein, the diameter of the aperture being substantially equal to the diameter of the gas pipe and the diameter of the aperture being located entirely within a radius of the disc, at least a portion of the disc being enclosed within a container, a sealing material within the container, and scrapers on the disc whereby rotation of the disc causes a portion of the sealing material to fall into the gas pipe and hence to the smelting furnace.
 2. In an apparatus comprising an electric smelting furnace, a gas cleaning plant and a gas pipe connecting the electric smelting furnace to the gas cleaning plant, the improvement which comprises a gastight rotatable valve located on a vertical section of said gas pipe, said valve comprising in combination a circular disc with an aperture therein, the diameter of the aperture being substantiallY equal to the diameter of the gas pipe and the diameter of the aperture being located entirely within a radius of the disc, at least a portion of the disc being enclosed within a container, a sealing material within the container, and the sealing material being sand.
 3. A gastight rotatable valve for use on a gas pipe said valve comprising in combination a circular disc with an aperture therein, the diameter of the aperture being substantially equal to the diameter of the gas pipe and the diameter of the aperture being located entirely within a radius of the disc, at least a portion of the disc being enclosed within a container, a sealing material within the container, and scrapers on the disc whereby rotation of the disc causes a portion of the sealing material to fall into the gas pipe.
 4. A gastight rotatable valve for use on a gas pipe said valve comprising in combination a circular disc with an aperture therein, the diameter of the aperture being substantially equal to the diameter of the gas pipe and the diameter of the aperture being located entirely within a radius of the disc, at least a portion of the disc being enclosed within a container, a sealing material within the container, and the sealing material being sand.
 5. In an apparatus comprising an electric smelting furnace, a gas cleaning plant and a gas pipe connecting the electric smelting furnace to the gas cleaning plant, the improvement which comprises a gastight rotatable valve located on a vertical section of said gas pipe, said valve comprising in combination a circular disc with an aperture therein, the diameter of the aperture being substantially equal to the diameter of the gas pipe and the diameter of the aperture being located entirely within a radius of the disc, at least a portion of the disc being enclosed within a container, a sealing material within the container, and the sealing material being granular.
 6. A gastight rotatable valve for use on a gas pipe said valve comprising in combination a circular disc with an aperture therein, the diameter of the aperture being substantially equal to the diameter of the gas pipe and the diameter of the aperture being located entirely within a radius of the disc, at least a portion of the disc being enclosed within a container, a sealing material within the container, and the sealing material being granular. 